Medill Reports ChicagoWhen visitors to the Harold Washington Library Center ascend the escalator to the third floor, they will now see 58,307 dog tags hanging above them. Each small piece of metal is stamped with the name of an individual service member killed in the Vietnam War. They are in chronological order by date of casualty.READ MORE

SURVEY

Veterans Association of America wants to know...

What employment opportunities has the military, state, federal government or local municipality helped you acquire in recent weeks?

None that I've been made aware of.

A few through my local veteran chapter, but that's it.

Numerous opportunities through various programs that I've been affiliated with.

KGTV-TVA side effect of defending our freedom could be costing thousands of U.S. troops their jobs, according to Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., and other lawmakers. Coffman is behind a bill called the Fairness for Veterans Act. He wants to protect service members who he believes are being kicked out of their jobs for the very wounds they got doing them.READ MORE

Military TimesThe Senate's top military personnel lawmaker blasted next year's service member pay raise and the proposed changes to military retirement as "shortchanging" troops instead of rewarding their sacrifice.
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Marine Corps TimesFederal researchers count more than 2.5 million veteran-owned small businesses in America. Officials at Syracuse University are hoping to create a single shop to help them all. The school's Institute for Veterans and Military Families launched its new Center of Excellence for Veteran Entrepreneurship, billed as a hub for business ownership research and resources.READ MORE

Military TimesDepartment of Labor officials are moving to cut off unemployment checks for veterans attending college on the GI Bill after lawmakers quietly approved the cost-cutting move last December. But exactly when and how the change will take place remains a frustrating mystery to federal and state officials and to veterans advocates who unsuccessfully argued against the idea.READ MORE

Military.comTwo veterans' service organizations are backing Senate legislation requiring prison officials to give the Veterans Affairs Department reasonable access to a prisoner who has served in the military. John Rowan, president of the Vietnam Veterans Association, informed Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, a D-N.Y., of the organization's support for the bill, while Paralyzed Veterans of America notified the lawmakers of its support.READ MORE

Military TimesVeterans Affairs Department officials said they will make several changes to the department's suicide prevention programs as part of ongoing efforts to reverse the tide of suicides among military veterans.READ MORE

WKBN-TV/WWLP-TVTwo Wounded Warrior Project executives have been fired after a report aired about the organization's misuse of donated funds. The charity for wounded veterans was created after the events of September 11. Since then, it has raised more than a billion dollars from Americans expecting their donations to help wounded veterans. But, former employees said a lot of that money went to people on the organization's payroll. Now, the Board of Directors is making policy changes after an internal review of the accusations.READ MORE

Military TimesHillVets' 2015 list of the 100 most influential personalities on veterans issues includes a pair of female Rangers, a trio of presidential candidates, a Medal of Honor recipient and an evil Jedi master.READ MORE

Task & PurposeJust over a year ago, the Joint Chiefs signed a letter addressed to all of those who have served in uniform since Sept. 11, 2001, recognizing that they "stepped forward as volunteers" when our nation needed them most. With an eye toward the future and the understanding that approximately 1 million service members will hang up their uniforms in the next five years, the Joint Chiefs implored service members to apply their "experience, intellect and character" in their communities as veterans. Aptly, the letter has come to be called "The Call to Continued Service" — a rallying call for veterans to seize opportunities to make a difference and apply their intrinsic leadership traits to enhance their new role within their civilian communities. READ MORE

SiliconHills There's not yet an official outreach effort targeting military veterans to SXSW, but as trained leaders will do, there are some military veterans taking on the opportunity to rally the veteran community at the SXSW Interactive festival this year — and in the future. READ MORE